Thoughts from the CEO
Greetings!

Happy new year to all of you who follow what we are up to! ✨

We are diving into 2022 with HOPE! Hope for more “normal” days ahead, and hope for a brighter future for all. This future that we envision is one where all Californians can get access to the healthcare they need, when they need it; where health outcomes from emergency situations are universally positive; where local communities get to speak up for what they want and need; and where large institutions in our systems know how to be responsive to that feedback.

At CARESTAR, this hope is translating into some really exciting grants to kick off the new year, as you can see in the announcement below. We partner with these organizations because we believe they understand the importance of being in relationship with fellow stakeholders who all want to see emergency and prehospital care transformed to embody trust, collaboration, and innovation. None of them – nor do we – have it all figured out, but we’re so eager and enthusiastic to learn with them, and see where our efforts bear fruit.

Please read below to learn more about our new partners, and other things we are reading, thinking about, and looking forward to wrestling with in 2022.

 
In community and partnership,

Tanir
$2.25 Million in New Grants Awarded
CARESTAR is proud to announce that it has awarded $2.25 million in new grants to multi-agency collaborations bringing community groups and Local Emergency Medical Services Agencies (LEMSAs) together to launch innovative, equitable, and scalable solutions in emergency and prehospital care. The following grants - each for $750,000 over three years - will catalyze new and better ways for all Californians to receive the most appropriate emergency and prehospital care when and where they need it, delivered by first responders and other healthcare providers who reflect the rich diversity of their communities. Learn more
Nuestra Comunidad
To support Project Lifeline, an initiative focused on creating systemic change in the Sonoma County 9-1-1 system to better serve all community members including immigrants, low-income residents, and people of color. Project Lifeline will engage in a two-pronged strategy that includes collecting and sharing residents’ opinions, experiences, and fears about calling 9-1-1 with local EMS responders, and working with responders to understand and address these barriers. It will also inform and support underrepresented community members in navigating and engaging the 9-1-1 system promptly and effectively during an emergency. With its focus on building long-term trust and mutual respect between the community and EMS providers, a mentorship program for high school-aged students to support first responders in developing Spanish language skills will also be integrated into the project.
National Indian Justice Center
To transform Sonoma County Native peoples and communities’ experience with emergency and pre-hospital care. The project will bring together a network of key partners from tribal health organizations, local emergency services, tribal youth programs, and the Santa Rosa Junior College to share experiences, discuss challenges, and build trust toward improved local emergency and prehospital care. The project will result in a comprehensive plan for a Climate Ready Tribal Community Health Representatives (TCHR) training program in Sonoma County that will liaise with the Coastal Valleys Emergency Medical Services Agency (CVEMSA) and the local hospital.
Loma Linda University Health Department of Emergency Medicine, Riverside County Emergency Management Systems Agency (REMSA), and Inland Counties Emergency Medical Agency (ICEMA) (Riverside and San Bernardino counties)
To create a comprehensive, community-centered program to provide emergent and sustained opioid treatment and service to individuals at risk for overdose in Riverside and San Bernardino counties. The Emergency Management Strategies to Decrease Opioid Deaths (EMSDOD) project will incorporate community voices in the design and implementation of the project to address racial inequities in treatment for addiction and help EMS providers better understand the local and cultural needs related to emergency services’ response to drug overdoses. Building on an initiative called Leave Behind Naloxone, a key component of EMSDOD will be to add two Emergency Medicine Substance Use Navigators (EMSUN) trained to link individuals to wrap-around services in Riverside and San Bernardino counties.
Dr. Shani Buggs Joins CARESTAR's Board of Directors
We are so pleased to welcome Dr. Shani Buggs to our board of directors!

"The depth of her knowledge about communities that have experienced trauma, her commitment to lift up community voices in finding solutions, and her extensive experience in working with state and local agencies will add tremendous value to our board as we continue our work to bring equity, unity, and compassion to emergency and prehospital care in California," said Tanir Ami, CEO of the CARESTAR Foundation.

Please note the CARESTAR Foundation has moved!

You can now find us at:

CARESTAR Foundation
921 Ensenada Avenue
Berkeley, CA 94707
Our Mission: To improve health outcomes for all Californians, we use a racial equity lens to fund and advocate for improvements in emergency and prehospital care.

Our Vision: All Californians experience emergency and prehospital care that is equitable, unified, and compassionate. The lives of people touched by trauma or injury dramatically improve because they receive the appropriate care, services and supports they need to heal and prevent re-injury.

©2022 CARESTAR Foundation. All rights reserved.